In the rush to keep up with technical advancements, here are 5 important professional skills that belong in your competency model but are often over-looked.
In the rush to keep up with technical advancements and job-specific expertise, some of the most critical professional skills are often overlooked in today’s workplace. These “soft skills” may not always grab the spotlight, but they form the foundation for effective teamwork, smooth operations, and sustained success. They are the skills that enable employees to adapt, collaborate, and excel in today’s complex and ever-changing work environment. Ignoring these skills can limit both individual and organizational potential. This article highlights five important professional skills that should not be taken for granted – and why they will always deserve a place in your competency model.
Value of Professional Skills in Today’s Workplace
Employees at all levels in your organization need professional skills to thrive, regardless of their technical or job-related expertise. Professional skills include such transferable skills as communication, emotional intelligence, creativity, and collaboration. In today’s fast-paced business world, these durable skills transcend specific tools, technologies, and processes. They enable employees to navigate challenges, build relationships, and seize new opportunities.
Professional skills are both necessary and, usually, prevalent. However, recent shifts in who is at work and how we work together have brought them into sharper focus – especially as Generation Z (born 1995 to 2014) enters the workforce. Consider a recent headline: “1 in 4 execs wouldn’t even think of hiring an entry-level Gen Z grad.” According to the article, many new workforce entrants lack the soft skills – like communication, collaboration, and adaptability – needed to thrive in the workplace.
While there’s more nuance to that story, it underscores the importance of professional skills for individual and organizational success.
Where Professional Skills Fit into a Competency Model
A competency model serves as a blueprint for the specific skills, abilities, and requirements employees need to succeed in their roles. It’s a critical foundation for effective talent management – and professional skills are central to any comprehensive model.
The Avilar Competency Model, as one example, encompasses more than 350 skills organized into Professional, Leadership, and Occupational skill categories. Industry-specific, general business, and job role skills round out the model for each organization. This model reflects decades of experience across diverse industries and job roles.
Regularly updating your competency model ensures it evolves with your organization’s goals and market trends, keeping it relevant and actionable.
5 Important Professional Skills to Include
Professional skills are essential for navigating today’s workplace challenges. Here are five critical skills every organization should prioritize in their competency models:
1. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Literacy
While artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like a domain for tech specialists, its applications are increasingly widespread. Professionals in HR, marketing, finance, and other fields use AI to automate tasks, analyze data, and enhance customer experiences. Similarly, employees must master other digital tools and platforms to collaborate, manage projects, serve customers, and perform daily tasks.
AI and digital literacy are now baseline skills for many roles. Employees need to stay current with evolving technologies, ensuring they can work efficiently and adapt to relevant emerging trends. Your competency model should reflect this by emphasizing familiarity with AI-driven tools, cloud-based platforms, and role-specific software.
Bonus: Explore Pearson’s “Top 10 In-demand AI Skills in the US” report, published in September 2024, for deeper insights into AI’s role in today’s workplace.
2. Communication
Communication is the cornerstone of professional success, yet it’s often taken for granted. We’re at an inflection point in business, as Gen Z has now surpassed Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) in the workforce. With Gen Z entering the workforce in larger numbers, businesses face new communication challenges.
Many Gen Z workers developed social and verbal skills during the pandemic’s remote learning era. In a large part, Zoom and Teams have supplanted in-person connections, leading to stunted development or atrophy of soft skills such as communication. Compared with other generations, Gen Z has limited professional experience with face-to-face interactions, reading social cues, or engaging in impromptu conversations.
A Forbes-reported survey of Gen Z remote workers in Canada found that depending on technology to communicate and interact had led to social and verbal skills deficiencies:
- More than 50% thought that their social skills had declined.
- 25% reported that their verbal skills had worsened.
Technology professionals are not exempt from needing to be great communicators. The same September 2024 Pearson study on AI skills found that “communication – the most in-demand soft skill – was mentioned in 110 million job listings, while data analysis – an AI skill – appeared in only 9 million.”
Effective communication isn’t just a skill for younger employees – it’s also critical for older workers adapting their style to collaborate with Gen Z colleagues.
Your competency model should outline specific communication expectations. For instance, employees may need to learn when a formal tone is appropriate, how to give and receive feedback, or how to build rapport in virtual and in-person settings – across generations and backgrounds.
Bonus: Deloitte’s “2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey” offers insights into workplace preferences and behaviors of younger generations.
3. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Critical thinking and problem solving are among the most valued professional skills in today’s workplace. Both are active activities that engage individuals with colleagues to create innovative solutions together. These skills empower employees to analyze situations, identify obstacles, and collaboratively tackle complex challenges.
However, as a recent Fast Company article points out, “Thinking at work is something that we say we value, but do we? With so much emphasis on productivity, ‘doing’ has long overtaken ‘thinking’ as the way we measure employee value – making thinking a daring act in many organizations. No one has time to think anymore, and they often feel guilty when they do.”
Competency models should highlight the importance of analytical reasoning, creativity, and collaboration in problem-solving processes. And you’ll want a way to reward employees who develop and demonstrate this skill set. For example, employees who take initiative and work effectively with colleagues to address issues should be recognized for demonstrating the kind of accountability that drives organizational success.
4. Time and Project Management
In a world of competing priorities, effective time and project management are critical yet often overlooked professional skills. While these abilities are essential for dedicated project managers, they are equally vital for all employees, regardless of their role. Managing time effectively ensures employees can meet deadlines and handle unexpected tasks. Especially important in companies that prioritize wellbeing, time management skills also help employees maintain a healthy work-life balance. Similarly, project management skills help individuals organize tasks, set priorities, and contribute to team success in a structured and efficient way.
At its core, successful project management relies on strong time management. However, it also demands clear communication, seamless collaboration, and meticulous tracking of milestones. Employees who master these skills can significantly enhance team productivity and ensure that projects are completed on time and within scope – even if their title isn’t “project manager.”
Your competency model should highlight skills such as prioritization, goal-setting, task delegation, and basic project management principles like planning, tracking progress, and adapting to changing circumstances.
Bonus: For practical advice, Indeed’s “The Benefits of Time Management in a Work Environment” article outlines strategies for improving time management across teams.
5. Negotiation
Negotiation is a professional skill that goes well beyond closing business deals. It’s about fostering discussions, resolving conflicts, and reaching mutually beneficial agreements. That’s the key right now, when so much of our world is polarized around win-or-lose dichotomies: Successful negotiators focus on interests rather than positions, demonstrating flexibility while maintaining shared objectives.
Whether navigating client contracts, team dynamics, or cross-departmental projects, strong negotiation skills are key. Core elements of negotiation include preparation, active listening, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. Adding negotiation to your competency model signals its importance in building relationships, driving innovation, and achieving strategic goals.
Bonus: Harvard Business School has this practical article with negotiation tips for all: “6 Negotiation Skills All Professionals Can Benefit From”
Incorporating these five important professional skills into your competency model helps you ensure that your workforce is equipped to navigate today’s dynamic business landscape. The competency model is the library from which your leaders, teams, and individuals build the skills they need through formal and informal learning and development opportunities. By fostering these professional skills, you empower employees to succeed in their roles, adapt to changing conditions, and contribute meaningfully to your organization’s success.
If you are ready to update your competency model with oft-overlooked important professional skills and competencies, download Avilar’s Competency Management Toolkit as a reference. Or contact us to see if Avilar’s competency model or WebMentor Skills™ can support your team.
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